Witch's Orchard

Description:

A Shamus Award Finalist for Best First P.I. Novel
An Instant USA Today Bestseller

A ninth-generation Appalachian, Archer Sullivan brings the mountains of North Carolina to life in The Witch's Orchard, a wonderfully atmospheric novel that introduces private investigator Annie Gore.

Former Air Force special investigator Annie Gore joined the military right after high school to escape the fraught homelife of her childhood. Now, she's getting by as a private investigator, and her latest case takes her to an Appalachian holler not unlike the one where she grew up.

Ten years ago, three little girls went missing from their tiny mountain town. While one was returned, the others were never seen again. After all this time without answers, the brother of one of the girls wants to hire an outsider, and he wants Annie. While she may not be from his town, she gets mountain towns. Mountain people. Driving back into the hills for a case this old--it might be a fool's errand. But Annie needs to put money in the bank and she can't turn down a case. Not even one that dredges up her own painful past.

In the shadow of the Blue Ridge, Annie begins to track down the truth, navigating a decade's worth of secrets, folklore of witches and crows, and a whole town that prefers to forget. But while the case may have been forgotten, echoes of the past linger. And Annie's arrival stirs someone into action.

Brief description: ARCHER SULLIVAN is a ninth generation Appalachian. She's moved thirty-seven times and has lived everywhere from Monticello, Kentucky to Manhattan, New York and from Black Mountain, North Carolina to Beverly Hills, California. Her work has appeared in Ellery Queen Mystery Magazine, Tough, Shotgun Honey, Reckon Review, Rock and a Hard Place, and The Best Mystery Stories of the Year 2024.

Review Quotes:

Praise for The Witch's Orchard

"Sullivan delivers a complete representation of the North Carolina region as well as the insular town's myths and struggles. . . Annie makes a formidable heroine with her rough childhood and military background combined to shape her." -South Florida Sun-Sentinel

"The narrative is linear, relatable and revealing... And the ending, just--wow!" -BookPage (starred review)

"An auspicious debut for this series." -Dayton Daily News

"This gothic-horror story-murder mystery offers a chilling look at dark secrets in a small, poverty-stricken Appalachian town. Full of suspense, shocking twists, and a healthy dose of Appalachian folklore and traditions, it's guaranteed to keep readers spellbound from first page to last." -Booklist

"A mesmerizing mystery that blends small-town secrets with ominous folklore. . . Delivering intrigue, atmosphere, and well-shaded characters with the efficiency of a seasoned pro, Sullivan knocks it out of the park on her first try." -Publishers Weekly

"A tough heroine who refuses to quit uses her own troubled background to crack the case." -Kirkus Reviews

"A wonderful combination of mountain lore and history, false heroes and major new friends. . . authentic and engaging." -first CLUE

"A riveting mystery, weaving together the darkest secrets of a small community with a beguiling thread of folklore and local legend. Sullivan has crafted a compelling and complex heroine in Annie Gore, whose wits, compassion, and grit are the beating heart of this tense and layered thriller--I couldn't put it down." -Kate Alice Marshall, author of What Lies in the Woods and A Killing Cold

"Meet Annie Gore-tough, funny, stubborn, nosy, flippant, and highly efficient at her job: solving a mystery in a scruffy patch of Appalachia. This is a dandy tale, with crackling dialogue and unforgettable characters, all served up at a breakneck pace and dusted with the dark, gritty poetry of the hills." -Julia Keller, Pulitzer Prize-winning author of the Bell Elkins mysteries

"An enthralling trip through the twisting byways of small-town Appalachia, where everyone knows everyone--or do they? P.I. Annie Gore is a delight-tough, cynical, and determined to find the truth behind the tantalizing story of the witch's orchard--a story that changes with each teller. I read this in one satisfying gulp." -Vicki Lane, author of the Elizabeth Goodweather Appalachian Mysteries